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Overview

The Fat Flush Plan is a combination weight loss and detox diet. Developed by Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, a former nutritionist at the Pritikin Longevity Center, this plan promises to melt away fat in just two weeks while also detoxifying your body.

How Is This Diet Supposed to Work?

The basis of this diet is that we need to detoxify our bodies, particularly our livers, to lose extra weight. According to Dr. Gittleman, eliminating certain foods and adding others can boost the liver’s performance, flush fat, and accelerate weight loss.

What’s Involved?

Dr. Gittleman believes that there are five hidden causes of weight gain: liver toxicity, waterlogged tissues which cause bloating and cellulite, fear of eating fat, excess insulin and inflammation, and stress.

Her fat flush plan consists of three phases:

Phase One: Two-Week Fat Flush

This is a cleansing program designed to accelerate weight loss from hips, thighs, and buttocks, while detoxifying the liver.

This diet also includes an exercise plan that consists of bouncing on a mini-trampoline and walking every day, plus strength training 2-3 times per week. The other main focus of this plan is getting enough sleep. Dr. Gittleman recommends having a bedtime of around 10 pm.

What Does the Research Say?

There is no strong research to support the idea that we can detoxify our livers to lose weight. Moreover, the idea that you will be flushing fat away, as suggested by the title of this diet, is misleading. Dr. Gittleman also claims that bouncing on a mini-trampoline will help purify your lymphatic system, and thereby bounce off fat. However, there is no credible evidence to support this theory.

Are There Any Concerns With This Diet?

There are several concerns with this diet plan, including its severe food restrictions and focus on dietary supplements. The first two phases are so low in calories and carbohydrates that they are not healthy for anyone and may be dangerous for some. It should not be followed by certain groups of people, including women who are pregnant or nursing, the elderly, adolescents, or athletes.

In addition, the low-energy content of the diet in these phases may make it tough to do the exercises. Eliminating caffeine and alcohol also makes it hard to stick to this diet.

The focus on
supplements
is a concern because many are not yet well-researched and are unregulated in the United States. Also, supplements can interact with prescription or over-the-counter medications. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.

What is good about this diet, however, is its focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, drinking adequate water, exercising daily, and getting enough sleep.

Bottom Line

You may want to try this diet, but there is no evidence to support that it will detoxify your liver. It is not recommended if you are looking for a healthful weight-loss plan. With the severe food restrictions, you'll lose weight because you'll be eating fewer calories. However, the diet is very restrictive. This makes it unrealistic to follow for any length of time. Studies show that the most successful diets are those that you can stick to.

Most evidence supports that eating a
balanced diet
is just as effective at weight loss. Take time to do some research and talk to your doctor before starting any diet plan.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.